


Duct Tape, Super Glue, and Other Bonding Agents

by TinyBat



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Gen, Happy families, Movie Night, everyone has a nice time, nice things
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-06-15
Updated: 2013-08-18
Packaged: 2017-12-15 02:21:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,418
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/844190
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TinyBat/pseuds/TinyBat
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Moments during the progression of Emma and Jefferson's relationship that make a family out of two wayward souls and their children.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Melody

**Author's Note:**

> I just want everyone to have nice things. I promise i'll try to keep these as angst free as possible.

One Tuesday afternoon Henry came tearing into the house and sought out his mothers boyfriend. He needed to ask an important and private question.

“Jefferson, can I ask you something important?” The boys face was flushed and he looked anxious. It made the older man uneasy and he scanned Henry head to toe for any sign of injury. Seeing that he appeared unharmed, he splayed himself out on the couch and waved a hand for Henry to join him.

“Sure thing, kid. What can I do for you?”

“Can you teach me to play piano? There’s this girl and I want to impress her. She plays the violin and she’s amazing and I want her to notice me.” Henry was simultaneously tapping his feet on the carpeted floor and fidgeting with the hem of his sweatshirt. He was 12 and girls seemed to be in his sight lines now. There wasn’t any harm in helping him out. Musical skills were great ice breakers and even better stress relief.

“Absolutely! But for each lesson, I want you to try to talk to her. Get to know her; what her likes and dislikes are. How long she’s played the violin, things like that.” Jefferson got up from him “Goblin King” pose as named by Emma and crossed over to the piano bench, pulling it out and sitting down. Henry followed right on his heels, bouncing with excitement.

“The important thing about skills worth having is that they take time. You can’t expect to play through Moonlight Sonata first go if you haven’t learned about sharps and flats yet.” Jefferson demonstrated a major scale with his right hand, and then with his left. Going slowly enough to make sure Henry could see the movement of his fingers on the keys.

Henry slid onto the extra bench space and tried copying the rhythm of the notes, his brow furrowed and his jaw set in concentration. He looked so much like his mother in that moment Jefferson had to laugh. Henry was plunking down on the keys with an air of frustration. His fingers would slip as he tried increasing the pace and the discord filled the room.

“You just did it! Why can’t I?” The boy looked so put out that Jefferson took pity on him and went to fetch sticky note tabs and a sharpie.

“I had 28 years by myself to learn. What I’ll do for you is I’ll label the keys, and I’ll try to find a metronome. The notes should flow together like a melody even in a scale. You just need to be able to feel it.” Jefferson set to work adorning his well loved instrument with yellow scraps of paper and Henry practiced the same scale until his stomach began to growl.

“Ok, kid. I guess it’s dinner time. Emma should be home soon with Grace and we’ll go out. How’s that sound?”

Henry, who didn’t seem to hear his stomach just nodded. “Sounds great. Do you think they’ll be mad if we wait another hour? I think I’ve almost got it.”

“Well, we are going to meet Belle and Mr. Gold too. Maybe you can ask her if she’s found any work books at the library. Keeping them waiting wouldn’t be polite.”

It was a start, but Jefferson loved the piano and he loved hearing someone other than himself play it. Henry could be a wonderful musician but teaching him patience would be much harder than teaching him to play.


	2. Girl Talk

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Emma being Emma had a fantastically horrible childhood and her adolescence wasn't much better. Grace asking her the more personal things she can't ask her father brings me joy. What those things might be is up for debate.

To Emma parenting a 12 year old boy was relatively simple, Henry wasn't complicated. Henry was also in the care of her parents, who were instilling more admirable values than she herself could. Jefferson also had a hand in some of the more courtly aspects for which Charming and Emma were both grateful though nobody really wanted to know how he had picked them up. Emma parenting Grace was a little bit harder, while Grace hadn't had it easy, she had always had a father who had loved her were Emma hadn't. Jefferson was her father though and Grace was at a point in her life where he might not be as helpful as he had previously been. 

Emma was in the middle of reviewing an old case file in the study she had carved out of one of the many empty rooms in Jefferson's house when a knock sounded at the closed door. Jefferson didn't like knocking, Henry usually forgot, and her parents almost always called first. That meant it was Grace, Emma set the folder aside and sat up. "It's open. Come on in." Grace peeked around the open door and Emma waved her in. She looked nervous, a nervous Grace made everyone else in the house nervous. She was easily the most collected and it put everyone on edge if she seemed off.

"Am I interrupting anything?" she asked, sitting down one of the massive arm chairs next to the couch Emma had been sprawled on. Grace's hands were clenched around the hem of her sweatshirt and her cheeks were flushed. The concern Emma was feeling slowly began increasing watching her fidget.

"Not at all. You look like you might explode so why don't you just tell me what's up and we'll get it taken care of." Emma leaned forward, watching Grace shake hoping that she wouldn't hold in what she had to say for too long. The magic in town was still very unpredictable and Grace could very well explode.

"There's a boy at school and he likes me and I think I like him but i'm not sure what to do and Henry knows and says he won't say anything but what happens when everyone finds out and Papa finds out and he'll get really mad!" The words came rushing out all in one breath and Grace slumped back in the chair, curling her legs up close to her body, clutching a pillow to her chest. Emma let out the breath she hadn't been aware she was holding and began to laugh. A quiet laugh that gradually built to something louder and filled with relief. Grace looked absolutely horrified, her mouth hanging open at Emma's reaction. 

"That's it? Oh honey, you had me worried. I'm not great with guys but i'll do what I can to make this a little bit easier. I do agree that your dad blow a gasket but if Henry keeps quiet, I will too. The idea of arresting my fiancee for terrifying a seventh grader isn't one I like much." Emma grinned, this was something she could have fun with. Teaching Grace the value of pragmatism when dealing with men early was something she could be proud of. 

"That's it? What do you mean, that's it! Emma, he's really cute and I can barely say two words to him. Henry is usually the one who ends up actually talking to him for me! I'm not sure if you noticed but Papa is the town eccentric and you're a princess. People aren't sure what to make of Henry and I, yet he's the one people actually seem to talk to!" said Grace while the agitated fidgeting continued. Emma gently took the pillow from her before she unravelled the fabric covering.

"Good point, your dad and I do probably make things a little awkward. First thing you have to do though is get Henry to stop stepping in for you. If this kid really does like you, make him prove it. Let him come to you. You are beautiful, funny, smart, and honestly a great catch. This boy would be an idiot to let you go. You might be a little young to think about dating but it's good that you learn the rules." Grace perked up hearing this and for a full hour and a half Emma explained the ins and outs of interacting with boys. It ended with "And don't be afraid to hit them if you don't like what they're doing. It's a tradition for the women in this family. Ask my mom to tell you how she and my Dad met one day after she's done with class."

The laughter echoing down the hall made Jefferson nervous enough to slide a note under the door saying that he'd made dinner and that they should come down. He knew when he shouldn't get involved and if Grace had sought out only Emma it was probably because it was something he wouldn't want to hear.


End file.
